The invention relates to a vehicle safety system for recognizing an obstacle or problem around a vehicle or about the vehicle itself and estimating a dangerous degree of the obstacle and problem to thereby provide an occupant in the vehicle with a warning or protection.
Recently, there has been developed a collision preventing device wherein an obstacle, such as a car, running in front of a vehicle is detected by a radar device or the like; a warning is given to a driver of the vehicle by estimating a collision of the obstacle with the vehicle; or a braking device is operated to lower a speed of the vehicle. As a device for providing the driver with the warning, a warning sound is generated, or a warning light is lighted or lighted on and off. However, the driver may fail to hear the warning sound, or overlook the warning light due to external disorders, such as a driver's driving state, driver's driving ability, a running state, a road surface state or an environment inside the vehicle. Or, even if the driver notices the warning, the driver may not properly respond due to the above stated situations.
In such an emergency situation, the vehicle may cause a sudden spin or slip by a driver's evading action to thereby lead to a rolling or collision. In a conventional protecting device, such as a seat belt device and air bag, only when a collision of the vehicle with the obstacle occurs, the protecting device starts operating to protect the occupant, and does not start operating corresponding to an unstable running state of the vehicle.
Japanese Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 10-306392 discloses a system wherein in case a collision is foreseen and a possibility of the collision is determined to be high, a belt retreating mechanism of a seat belt device is automatically operated.
The seat belt device is provided with a collision foreseeing sensor, wherein when the collision is foreseen, a tensile strength of a seat belt is made larger to apply a pre-tension thereto. In the device, an acceleration in a rolling direction is detected, and in case rolling of the vehicle or a damage of a driving ability of the vehicle is going to happen, the belt is strongly retracted to remove a slack to thereby fasten an occupant to a seat. As described above, a warning by physical notice allows the occupant to positively perceive a dangerous situation and at the same time protect the occupant.
However, in the seat belt device disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 10-306392, an area and shape of the belt can not be controlled. Also, a protection corresponding to physical characteristics of the occupant can not be provided.
Japanese Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 7-81520 also proposes a seat belt device, wherein an obstacle around a vehicle is detected; an obstacle degree that the obstacle causes a problem with respect to the vehicle is determined; and a seat belt is controlled according to the result thereof. More specifically, as the obstacle degree is higher, the tensile strength of the belt is made stronger to thereby allow the occupant to bodily sense the warning and to protect the occupant beforehand.
However, the seat belt device disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-81520 does not control the area and shape of the belt, neither. Also, the protection corresponding to the physical characteristics of the occupant can not be provided.
As a device where a binding or holding ability of a seat belt device is more securely made, there is proposed an inflatable seat belt device in Japanese Patent Publication (KOKAI) No. 5-112201. In the seat belt, a portion of the seat belt where an occupant shoulder touches is provided with a bag-shape portion. The bag-shape portion is expanded through injection of gas from a gas generating device at a time of an emergency to thereby receive a moving energy of the occupant with the wider area of the belt.
However, in Japanese Patent Publication No. 5-112201, foreseeing of the collision and protection corresponding to the physical characteristics of the occupant are not considered.
The above seat belt devices contribute to improvement in safety of the occupant. However, a safety system for providing the occupant with more appropriate protection is required.
In view of the above, the present invention has been made and an object of the invention is to provide a vehicle safety system for recognizing an obstacle and problem around a vehicle or about the vehicle itself and estimating a dangerous degree of the obstacle and problem to thereby provide an occupant in the vehicle with a warning or more suitable protection.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the invention.